Small portable universal spark plug cleaner

ABSTRACT

A spark plug cleaner is disclosed in which a sealed chamber is provided into which the sparking end of a spark plug is inserted. Sand in the chamber is agitated by air so as to blast against the electrodes of the spark plug and the lower end of the spark plug to clean carbon deposits therefrom. A filter is provided to permit the escape of air from the chamber without permitting the escape of sand therefrom.

United States Patent 7/1932 Mullan........4............4... 3/1942Johnson [72] Inventor Thomas M. Diggs 1349 Otis St. N.E., Washington,D.C. 20017 7,073

8/1958 Persak....................4...::

Primary Examiner-Lester M. Swingle Attorney-Victor J. Evans & Co.

[2| Appl. No.

[22] Filed Jan. 30, 1970 [45] Patented Sept. 14, 1971 [54] SMALLPORTABLE UNIVERSAL SPARK PLUG CLEANER 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

ABSTRACT: A spark plug cleaner is disclosed in which a sealed chamber isprovided into which the sparking end of a spark plug is inserted. Sandin the chamber is agitated by air so ast against the electrodes of thespark plug and the end of the spark plug to clean carbon depositstherefrom. A filter is provided to permit the escape of air from thechamber without permitting the escape of sand therefrom.

PATENTED SEP14I97I 3,604,156

IN V EN TOR.

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SMALL PORTABLE UNIVERSAL SPARK PLUG CLEANER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONField of the Invention The invention relates broadly to the apparatusfor sand blasting deposits from the electrodes and lower end of sparkplugs of internal combustion engines.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to asandblasting apparatus for spark plug electrodes which comprises achamber into which a spark plug can be inserted with the chambercontaining sand and means for directing a blast of air entraining aportion of the sand against the electrodes of the spark plug. Thechamber has a filter surrounding it to permit the escape of airtherefrom without permitting the escape of sand from the chamber.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for sandblasting deposits from the lower end and electrodes of a spark plug torenew the spark plug for conventional use.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent when considered inlight of the attached drawings.

I BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 5 is a detailed enlargedvertical sectional view of the filter-attaching structure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings indetail wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughoutthe several figures the reference numeral indicates generally a smallportable universal spark plug cleaner constructed in accordance with theinvention.

The cleaner 10 includes a chamber 11 of generally cylindrical formhavinga circular bottom wall 12 and a cylindrical sidewall 13 extendingperpendicularly upwardly therefrom. The sidewall 13 is verticallyslotted at 14 adjacent the upper end thereof with the slots 14 extendingperpendicularly downwardly in the sidewall 13 a short distance from theupper edge thereof. The bottom wall 12 is provided with a plurality ofapertures 15 to permit the escape of air therethrough. A plurality oflegs 16 are secured to the bottom wall 12 in depending relation theretoto support the cleaner 10 from a surface. An inner cylindrical chamber17 having a circular bottom wall 18 and a cylindrical sidewall 19 ispositioned within the container 11. The inner container 17 has aplurality of apertures 20 formed in the sidewall thereof to permit theescape of air therethrough. The container 17 is positioned within thecontainer 11 so that the upper edges thereof lie in the same horizontalplane.

A cylindrical filter 21 is formed of cloth and overlies the innercontainer 17 and-has a bottom wall 22 which underlies the bottom wall 18of the inner container 17. A pair of leather washers 23, 24 are glued tothe inner and outer surfaces of the filter 21 surrounding an aperture 25formed centrally therein. A threaded hollow tube 26 extends through thecenter of the bottom wall 12 of the outer container 11 andthrough thecenter of the aperture 25 and then through the center of the bottom wall18 of the inner container 17. A head is formed on under the bottom wall18 and a ainst the leather washer 23. A nut 27 is threaded on the threaed tube 26 to clamp the inner container 17 to the outer container 11. Anozzle 28 extends upwardly from the threaded tube 26 within the innercontai'ner 17 to direct the flow of air therethrough. A valve (notshown) is positioned within the threaded tube 26 to prevent the flow ofsand out of the inner container 17. A draw string 29 is positionedwithin the hem 30 at the upper edge of the filter cloth 21 to hold thefilter cloth 21 tightly over the upper edge of the inner container 17.The bottom wall 18 of the inner container 17 is provided with aplurality of apertures 31 ,to permit the flow of air therethrough.

A rubber top wall 32 extends across the inner container 17 and acrossthe filter 21 and extends downwardly between the inner edges of thefilter 21 and the upper edge portion of the outer container 11. A clampring 33 extends around the upper edges of the outer container 11 andwith the clamp element 34 clamps the outer container 11 tightly againstthe peripheral edges of the cover 32 and the inner container 17 toprovide a leak-proof connection therebetween. A plurality of triangularfingers 34' are formed by a plurality of radial cuts 35 centrally of thetop wall 32 to form an opening through which a spark plug 36 may beinserted in sealed relation to the top wall 32.

In the use and operation of the invention any type of air fitting showngenerally at 37 is engaged against the lower edge of the threaded tube26 to permit the flow of air therethrough. Spark plug 36 is insertedthrough the center of the top wall 32 and air is flowed through thefitting 37 and through the threaded tube 26 and nozzle 28 to blast thesand 38 in the inner container 17 upwardly against the lower end of thespark plug 36 to clean deposits therefrom.

Having thus described the preferred embodiments of the invention itshould be understood that numerous structural modifications andadaptations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

What is claimed is:

. l. A small portable universal spark plug cleaner comprising an innercontainer having perforations therein and including a lower wall, afilter encompassing said inner container and covering the perforationstherein, said filter having a bottom wall having acenter, a perforateouter container including a lower wall and a top edge, a flexible topwall connected to said filter, and said outer container, said top wallhaving a sparkplug-receiving opening formed centrally thereof, anairblast nozzle extending through the lower walls of said innercontainer and said outer container, sand in said inner container, andmeans for supplying air through said nozzle to blast sand contained insaid inner container against a spark plug extending through said topwall.

2. A small portable universal spark plug cleaner as claimed in claim 1wherein said filter is formed of cloth and permits the flow of airtherethrough while preventing the flow of sand therethrough.

3. A small portable universal spark plug cleaner as claimed in claim 1wherein said top wall is formed of rubber and the opening in said topwall seals the spark plug therein.

4. A small portable universal spark plug cleaner as claimed in claim 1wherein a circumferential clamp engages about the top edge of said outercontainer to bind said outer container, said top wall, said filter, andsaid inner container together in sealed relation.

5. A small portable universal spark plug cleaner as claimed in claim Iwherein said filter is provided with a pair of leather washers onopposite faces of the center of the bottom thereof surrounding anaperture with said leather washers sealing against said inner containerand said outer container to prevent the fiow of air therebetween.

1. A small portable universal spark plug cleaner comprising an innercontainer having perforations therein and including a lower wall, afilter encompassing said inner container and covering the perforationstherein, said filter having a bottom wall having a center, a perforateouter container including a lower wall and a top edge, a flexible topwall connected to said filter, and said outer container, said top wallhaving a spark-plug-receiving opening formed centrally thereof, anairblast nozzle extending through the lower walls of said innercontainer and said outer container, sand in said inner container, andmeans for supplying air through said nozzle to blast sand contained insaid inner container against a spark plug extending through said topwall.
 2. A small portable universal spark plug cleaner as claimed inclaim 1 wherein said filter is formed of cloth and permits the flow ofair therethrough while preventing the flow of sand therethrough.
 3. Asmall portable universal spark plug cleaner as claimed in claim 1wherein said top wall is formed of rubber and the opening in said topwall seals the spark plug therein.
 4. A small portable universal sparkplug cleaner as claimed in claim 1 wherein a circumferential clampengages about the top edge of said outer container to bind said outercontainer, said top wall, said filter, and said inner container togetherin sealed relation.
 5. A small portable universal spark plug cleaner asclaimed in claim 1 wherein said filter is provided with a pAir ofleather washers on opposite faces of the center of the bottom thereofsurrounding an aperture with said leather washers sealing against saidinner container and said outer container to prevent the flow of airtherebetween.